Helpless
by momothelemur
Summary: What happened during Bellatrix's ruthless interrogation of Hermione? Did Draco even consider speaking out against the injustice or did he just stand back and watch? Oneshot


**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. However, I do own a nifty little Hermione plushie doll that I find somewhat adorable.**

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The torturing stopped but the girl's writhing didn't. Her whole body convulsed fiercely as her screams slowly died in her throat. Her breaths were wracked with sobs and came out sharply as she struggled to gulp in as much oxygen as she could before the torture started again.

"I know you've been in my vault," Bellatrix hissed, circling Hermione and staring at her the way a hungry snake would eye its helpless prey. "I know you've smeared your filthy Mudblood fingers all over things that don't belong to you!"

Hermione clenched her eyes shut forcefully. Hot tears seeped from her eyelids and ran down her flushed cheeks into her wild hair. She could no longer feel the fear of death, the humiliation of being tortured in front of her enemies, the hope of escape. She couldn't even feel the hard wooden floor beneath her. All she felt was the agonizing ghost of a pain that was far from over.

"What else did you take?" Bellatrix snapped, her voice losing whatever composure it may have once held. "What else have you stolen from me?"

"N-nothing," Hermione whimpered, finding her voice. She hated herself for the note of pleading in her tone.

"Wrong answer," Bellatrix informed her coldly. "_Crucio!_"

The screams that tore through Hermione's throat rang shrilly in her own ears. Acid ripped through every particle of her being, from her knees that she had brought as closely to her chest as possible right to the fingernails that she dug into the floor as she tried to deal with the torment.

"If you tell the truth I may even let you go," Bellatrix mused loudly over her victim's screams. Mocking laughter echoed from across the room. Bellatrix joined in, adding her own maniacal shout. "Or maybe I'll just kill you! Make an example for all the Mudbloods out there who dare to think that they have a place in the Dark Lord's new world!"

The curse released its hold again and Hermione panted for breath, her tears flowing freely now. The walls around her swam unpleasantly as she fought the urge to vomit.

"I'm actually doing you a favour here!" Bellatrix announced to the room, as though speaking directly to Hermione wasn't an option anymore. "I'm giving you chances, opportunities to tell me what I want to know! You think this is pain?" She gave a swift flick of her wand. Hermione caught a watered-down version of the Cruciatus curse that was nevertheless excruciating. "You just wait until I'm mad!"

She glared down at the girl, her eyes wide and not holding an ounce of sanity. Straggly tresses of black hair fell into her face. Hermione, her body still twitching uncontrollably, forced her eyes open and locked gazes with Bellatrix.

"You're…already mad," Hermione whispered in hatred, her voice cracking through the effort of forming words instead of screams.

To her great surprise, Bellatrix laughed hysterically. She turned to her sister who, after eyeing her cautiously, gave a weak smile.

"Did you hear that, Cissy?" Bellatrix screeched. "The Mudblood thinks I'm mad!" The laughter died as quickly as it began as Bellatrix twisted back around, her face scrunched up in fury. "I'll show you mad! _Crucio_!"

As Hermione's screams once again filled the room, Draco compelled himself not to wince or turn away any more than he already had. Things hadn't been going well for awhile now but this…this had taken everything to a whole new level. He hadn't had a choice but to identify Potter and his friends to his family; it was obviously them and when that stupid hex wore off Potter it would be clear of their identities anyway. Lying would only have made things worse. Well, worse for him.

His tolerance for Hermione Granger only stretched to - not that he would ever admit this aloud - reluctant admiration, but to see her in such obvious anguish was something that he would never wish upon her…or upon anyone. How his mother and father could stand there and steel themselves to watch the scene before him was beyond him. It was all he could do not to stuff his fingers in his ears and wrench his eyes closed.

"I hope you don't think you can wait me out," Bellatrix taunted the girl, smiling sickeningly, "because I can do this all night!"

She was answered with nothing more than screams, which seemed to suit her just fine. Draco wondered miserably if his family had always been psychopaths or if it had just happened gradually.

"We found the sword!" Hermione screamed after the latest bout of torture ceased. "We _found_ it!"

"Lies!" Bellatrix spat, raising her wand again.

"Stop!"

All eyes flew to Draco. He stared back, panicky and unsure about the cause of his outburst. His mother stared at him fearfully and he knew what she was thinking - if he didn't think of a cover story fast, it would be him under the curse. Bellatrix eyes were wide with fury and her lips pulled back in a snarl.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, every syllable dripping with accusing venom.

The room was silent as the last of Hermione's screams faded. Even she seemed to be holding her breath. Draco's eyes drifted unwillingly towards hers. Cold grey met haunted chocolate as their eyes locked. She was silently begging for help, every tear that fell was a pleading signal. But Draco couldn't help her. He wasn't strong enough.

"No," he muttered, tearing his eyes away from Hermione's as she slumped in hopelessness. "I just thought that she was going to say something else."

"So do I have your permission to continue?" Bellatrix continued sarcastically, her dark eyes piercing him as she dared him to deny her.

Draco couldn't bring himself to answer with words. He nodded his head minutely as he turned away again, his platinum blonde hair shielding the girl from view.

He just wished he could block out the screams that followed as Bellatrix's sick interrogation continued.

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**A/N:**

**Hello everyone, I hoped you enjoyed my rather random oneshot. Apparently when I'm reading 'The Deathly Hallows' and drinking coffee at 10.30pm, ideas leap to mind. I don't usually do Harry Potter fanfics, but I'd appreciate it if you could let me know how I've done with a review (:**

**(And to any readers of 'Sanctuary' don't worry; next chapter will be along next week!)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**- Momo**


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